The NBA’s amnesty window is open — from now until July 16, teams that haven’t used their one-time amnesty provision since the lockout can wipe one contract off the official books, so long as that is a contract they signed before the lockout.

Which means there are only 13 teams and 34 total players where they amnesty clause is in play. Most of those are not contracts the teams want to get rid of — Al Horford in Atlanta, Rajon Rondo in Boston, LeBron James in Miami, Tony Paker in San Antonio, Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City and so on.

For all the fanfare of the amnesty clause as a “get out of jail free” card, teams generally are cautious to use it. They have to pay the player anyway — amnesty a player and he comes off the official league books but the player still gets paid — so this has to just be a guy you want gone.

Do not expect the Bulls to amnesty Carlos Boozer or the Thunder to use theirs on Kendrick Perkins. In the case of Oklahoma City, GM Sam Presti has said the organization doesn’t believe in the amnesty clause as useful — they are going to have to pay him anyway, they may as well get something for that. The Bulls might amnesty Boozer a year from now when they can open up a lot of cap room to chase free agents, but this year he stays as the Bulls try to make a run.

Here are three other guys to watch:

Metta World Peace, Los Angeles Lakers. This is obvious because it has already been out there that the Lakers are likely to send World Peace on his way. The Lakers could amnesty Kobe Bryant, but there is zero chance of that. They could amnesty Pau Gasol, but he has trade value if they want to move him. World Peace is the odd guy out and letting him go would save the Lakers in excess of $14 million (that number was much higher until Dwight Howard bolted and the Lakers payroll fell).

John Salmons, Sacramento Kings. Salmons is a nice wing player that the Kings oddly gave a large and long contract to. Now they have the just drafted Ben McLemore and they are reportedly in the hunt for Monta Ellis (Atlanta remains the front runner), so why have Salmons in the picture. Salmons is due $7.5 million in 2013-14, and $1 million guaranteed in 2014-15

Charlie Villanueva, Detroit Pistons. This was a bad contract the day it was signed — back then Villanueva had some value but there was no reason to ink a big multi-year deal. Joe Dumars had cap space and he was going to spend it, no matter what. This should be a no brainer. Villanueva is owed $8.58 million next season.

I don’t remember playing tonight. I didn’t play. Guys get a lot of money to be ready to play. No Knute Rockne speeches. It’s your job. If you’re a plumber and you don’t do your job, you don’t get any work. I don’t think a plumber needs a pep talk. If a doctor botches operations, he’s not a doctor anymore. If you’re a basketball player, you come ready. It’s called maturity. It’s your job.

Like it or not, motivation is part of an NBA coach’s job.

But that’s also precisely what Popovich is doing.

His credentials dwarf any other coach’s. He can play to his own ego and absolve himself of responsibility – and players will seek to please him. His years of success have earned him the ability to motivate this way, a method no other coach could use without alienating his team.

So, why not hold Motiejunas to what became a four-year, $31 million offer sheet once matched? Houston got something in return – a later trigger date on guaranteeing Motiejunas’ 2017-18 salary. Originally, that decision had to be made March 1 – which would’ve meant dropping Motiejunas from the team this season to prevent his salary from counting next season. Now, the Rockets can make that call in July, after this season is complete.

The following two Julys, Houston will also have a choice on guaranteeing Motiejunas’ upcoming salary or dropping him.

Essentially, Motiejunas is signing the most lucrative Hinkie Special in NBA history. If he plays well and stays healthy, the Rockets have Motiejunas at an affordable rate. If he struggles or his back injuries flare up, they can drop him with little to no penalty.

After they backed themselves into this corner, Motiejunas and his agent, B.J. Armstrong, didn’t do so bad. Considering the similarity between this contract and the Nets’ original offer sheet, it seems Houston helped Armstrong save face after a bungled free agency (which is easier to accept when you’re adding a talented reserve to a formidable team).

But for how little is guaranteed and how much control the Rockets hold over the next four years, wouldn’t Motiejunas have been better off accepting the $4,433,683 qualifying offer?

This means Motiejunas can’t sign with the Nets, who signed him to the original offer sheet, for one year.

I bet it also means Motiejunas and Houston have agreed to a new contract. Otherwise, why release him from the offer sheet? The Rockets would be giving up a tremendous amount of leverage out of the goodness of their hearts – unless this is just a prelude to a new deal with Houston.